,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ejce ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #ab1 #bjai,mr4 ,michael ,f4 ,doyle of ,pennsylvania introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,communications ,act of #aicd to extend expiring provisions relating to the retransmission of signals of television broadcast stations1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,television ,viewer ,protection ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,extension of authority ,section #cbe7;b7 of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #cbe7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#b77;,c71 by striking ,december #ca1 #bjai and inserting the expiration date1 if any1 described in section #aai7;h7 of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#c77;,c71 by striking ,january #a1 #bjbj each place it appears and inserting ,january #a1 #bjbe4 #c4 ,satisfaction of good faith negotiation requirement by multichannel video programming distributors 7a7 ,satisfaction of good faith negotiation requirement ,section #cbe7;b77#c77;,c7 of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #cbe7;b77#c77;,c77 is amended-- 7#a7 in clause 7iv71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#b7 in clause 7v71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7vi7 not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of the ,television ,viewer ,protection ,act of #bjai1 specify that a multichannel video programming distributor may satisfy its obligation to negotiate in good faith under clause 7iii7 with respect to a negotiation for retransmission consent under this section with a large station group or a television broadcast station by designating a qualified ,,mvpd buying group to negotiate on its behalf1 so long as the qualified ,,mvpd buying group itself negotiates in good faith in accordance with such clause4 4 7b7 ,definitions ,section #cbe7;b77#g7 of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #cbe7;b77#g77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 qualified ,,mvpd buying group means an entity that1 with respect to a negotiation with a large station group or television broadcast station for retransmission consent under this section-- 7i7 negotiates on behalf of two or more multichannel video programming distributors-- 7,i7 none of which is a multichannel video programming distributor that serves more than #a1jjj1jjj subscribers nationally2 and 7,,ii7 that do not collectively serve more than #ce percent of all households served by a multichannel video programming distributor in any single local market in which the applicable large station group or television broadcast station operates2 and 7ii7 negotiates agreements for such retransmission consent-- 7,i7 that contain standardized contract provisions1 including billing structures and technical quality standards1 for each multichannel video programming distributor on behalf of which the entity negotiates2 and 7,,ii7 under which the entity assumes liability to remit to the applicable large station group or television broadcast station all fees received from the multichannel video programming distributors on behalf of which the entity negotiates2 7,d7 large station group means a group of television broadcast stations that-- 7i7 are directly or indirectly under common de jure control permitted by the regulations of the ,commission2 7ii7 generally negotiate agreements for retransmission consent under this section as a single entity2 and 7iii7 include1 with respect to at least five different local markets1 at least one television broadcast station ranked among the top four stations1 based on audience share1 as measured by ,nielsen ,media ,research or by any comparable professional1 accepted audience ratings service2 7,e7 local market has the meaning given such term in section #abb7;j7 of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7,f7 multichannel video programing distributor has the meaning given such term in section #fjb4 4 7c7 ,conforming amendments ,section #cbe7;b7 of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #cbe7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7,a7 by inserting and after #aiib12 and 7,b7 by striking 1 and the term local market has the meaning given that term in section #abb7;j7 of such title2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#c77;,c71 by striking 7as defined in section #abb7;j7 of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code7 each place it appears4 #d4 ,requirements relating to charges for covered services 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,vii of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #fja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #gbc4 ,requirements relating to charges for covered services 7a7 ,transparency in advertising 7#a7 ,in general ,a provider of a covered service may not advertise the price of the covered service unless the advertised price is the total amount that the provider will charge for or relating to the provision of the covered service1 including any related taxes1 administrative fees1 equipment rental fees1 or other charges1 to a consumer who accepts the offer made in the advertisement4 7#b7 ,exception ,paragraph 7#a7 does not require a provider of a covered service to include in the advertised price of the covered service any tax1 fee1 or other charge that-- 7,a7 the provider is required to charge under any provision of ,federal law or of the law of a ,state or political subdivision of a ,state2 and 7,b7 is not uniform throughout the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,transparency in ,e-,billing ,if a provider of a covered service provides a bill to a consumer in an electronic format1 the provider shall include in the bill and in any notification that the bill is available-- 7#a7 an itemized statement that breaks down the total amount charged for or relating to the provision of the covered service by the amount charged for the provision of the service itself and the amount of any related taxes1 administrative fees1 equipment rental fees1 or other charges1 in the same level of detail as would be provided in a paper bill2 and 7#b7 the termination date of the contract for the provision of the covered service entered into between the consumer and the provider4 7c7 ,requirements for increases in charges 7#a7 ,in general ,in the case of a provider of a covered service that enters into a contract with a consumer for the provision of a covered service1 if the provider increases the total amount charged for or relating to the provision of the service under the contract1 regardless of the amount of the increase or whether the increase is in the amount charged for the provision of the service itself or in any related taxes1 administrative fees1 equipment rental fees1 or other charges1 the provider shall-- 7,a7 provide the consumer with clear notice of the increase not later than #ba days before the increase takes effect1 in the same manner in which the provider provides to the consumer a notification that the consumer's bill is available 7or1 if no separate notification is provided1 in the same manner as the provider provides the consumer's bill to the consumer72 and 7,b7 unless the increase is the result of an increase in a tax1 fee1 or other charge that the provider is required to charge under any provision of ,federal law or of the law of a ,state or political subdivision of a ,state1 or an additional such tax1 fee1 or other charge1 permit the consumer to terminate the contract without paying any early termination fee or other penalty4 7#b7 ,exception for additional or upgraded service requested by consumer ,paragraph 7#a7 does not apply with respect to an increase resulting from the provision1 at the request of the consumer1 of a service that is in addition to1 or an upgrade of1 a service covered by the contract4 7d7 ,equipment charges ,a provider of a covered service may not charge a consumer for-- 7#a7 using covered equipment provided by the consumer2 or 7#b7 renting1 leasing1 or otherwise providing to the consumer covered equipment if-- 7,a7 the provider has not provided the equipment to the consumer2 or 7,b7 the consumer has returned the equipment to the provider1 except to the extent that the charge relates to the period beginning on the date when the provider provided the equipment to the consumer and ending on the date when the consumer returned the equipment to the provider4 7e7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered equipment ,the term covered equipment means equipment 7such as a router7 employed on the premises of a person 7other than a provider of a covered service7 to provide a covered service4 7#b7 ,covered service ,the term covered service-- 7,a7 means-- 7i7 internet access service2 7ii7 voice service 7as defined in section #bbg7;e77#h772 7iii7 commercial mobile service 7as defined in section #ccb72 7iv7 commercial mobile data service 7as defined in section #fjja of the ,middle ,class ,tax ,relief and ,job ,creation ,act of #bjab 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #adja772 and 7v7 service provided by a multichannel video programming distributer 7as defined in section #fjb71 to the extent such distributor is acting as a multichannel video programming distributor2 and 7,b7 includes any other service offered or provided as part of a bundle or package with any service referred to in subparagraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,internet access service ,the term internet access service-- 7,a7 means a mass-market retail service by wire or radio that provides the capability to transmit data to and receive data from all or substantially all internet endpoints1 including any capabilities that are incidental to and enable the operation of the communications service2 and 7,b7 also includes any service that-- 7i7 the ,commission finds to be providing a functional equivalent of the service described in subparagraph 7,a72 or 7ii7 is used to evade the protections set forth in this section4 4 7b7 ,transitional rule relating to definition of voice service ,subsection 7e77#b77;,a77ii7 of section #gbc of the ,communications ,act of #aicd1 as added by subsection 7a7 of this section1 shall apply before the effective date of the amendment made to subsection 7e77#h7 of section #bbg of such ,act 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7 by subparagraph 7,c7 of section #ejc7;a77#b7 of division ,p of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ada7 as if such amendment was already in effect4 7c7 ,effective date ,section #gbc of the ,communications ,act of #aicd1 as added by subsection 7a7 of this section1 shall apply beginning on the date that is #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 except that subsection 7c7 of such section #gbc shall not apply with respect to a contract entered into1 and as in effect1 before the date that is #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4